This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The Cell Biology and Bioimaging (CBB) Core (http://labs.pbrc.edu/cellbiology/index.htm) was organized in response to the specific needs of COBRE Project PIs and researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Its purpose is to develop and provide state of the art bioimaging approaches to study the cell and molecular biology of biological processes in live and fixed cells and tissues, as well as physiological processes in vivo using micro CT. The CBB Core provides state of the art bioimaging and analytical instrumentation and support to facilitate data collection and analysis by COBRE Project PIs and PBRC faculty. Currently the CBBC is staffed by Dr. David H. Burk who serves as director, Dr. Barbara Kozak who serves as associate director and two research associates [unreadable]Ms. Courtney Cain and Mr. Drury Ingram. Funding of the Pennington COBRE in September 2006 brought the Cell Biology and Bioimaging Core into existence and it was organized around five major analytical platforms: a Zeiss LSM-510 meta multiphoton confocal, an upright epifluorescence microscope and an inverted epifluorescence microscope, a scanning fluorometer for live cell imaging, and a FACS Caliber analytical cell sorter. A primary focus in the first two years was to enhance our existing microscopy expertise and development new expertise in the areas of flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, imaging and image analysis. Our overall goal is to enhance the competitiveness of our faculty by providing seamless access to these technologies. The CBBC is loosely divided into three sections [unreadable]imaging, histology &specimen preparation, and flow cytometry. Within the imaging section, the core has two multi-photon confocals, one fully motorized inverted system for high speed ratiometric imaging, an upright motorized system for fixed cell or tissue imaging, a multi-color laser TIRF rig, two manual scopes for routine examination of slides or multi-well plates (brightfield and fluorescence), and a digital pathology slide scanning system. The histology &specimen preparation section holds four cryostats, three rotary microtomes, an automated tissue processor, tissue embedding station, automated slide stainer/coverslipper, auto IHC stainer, and a laser microdissection system. The Core's flow cytometry section houses a BD FACSCalibur for 4 color analysis and an iCyt Reflection high speed cell sorter equipped within a BSL2 lamellar flow hood.